In this crazy world and crazy people, how do we love anyway? How do we love the people that drive us to drink or make us form a tic? How do we love the people that are hard to love and choose not to open themselves to love? Well I think we keep loving.
There are so many types and kinds of love. And yes there truly is! We don’t love 2 people the same way. We don’t love objects or food or ideas equally. There is so many types of love. Agape love is probably the purest of loves and all encompassing. He loved us before we were born, knows the number of hairs on our head and the story of our life before we took our first breath. Now think about that, really think….that is a love like no other and loving you no matter what.
There is the all consuming love we have for partners or spouses. That feel it in your stomach, butterflies in your stomach, palms sweating, over the moon feeling kind of love. Sometimes this love can burn out quickly, life happens, responsibilities, kids, age. And then for those that are lucky, that spark never dies. It may dim at times, may need a fresh stack of kind ling, but those lucky ones make that love last. Tomorrow would be a wedding anniversary if I was still married. Would have been 29 years….our spark went out and dampened by some very toxic and very emotionally damaging moments. I never thought I would be divorced, never imagined life turning out the way it did. It hasn’t all been bad but it has been a challenge at times, overwhelming moments and time void without touch and love, and being both parents to 2 kids who didn’t ask for any of this. But I don’t regret taking a chance on love. It js better to have loved than not at all.
That takes me to another kind of love, the love of our kids. Feeling that baby move and grow inside of you and meeting him or her for that first time. Seeing that sweet face, hearing that cry, fingers that wrap around your finger and your heart. This is a fierce love, a love you will fight like a lioness for this part of you. A love that evolves and changes as they age. Learning their personalities, raising this little baby to be a good and loving person to be able to stand on their own 2 feet. No matter the age, no matter the distance, this will always be your baby. And for those that their babies came via adootion or foster, your love is no different. Well maybe even bigger because your heart is so open to love and to make a life matter to the child you have been given. Each child a gift—even when they don’t sleep or talk back through the teenage years–a gift that keeps evolving and a love that never dies.
Then there is love of family and friends. Not everyone is blessed with the love of family and that is so sad. Your family is your base, your harbor in the storm. My family has stood by me through the good and the very challenging times. Your family can be a cheerleader and sometimes you can be on opposite teams and opposite thoughts. BUT you always come back together. Your family, your parents are your model of love. My parents went through many challenges and things weren’t always rosey, but they stuck together through it all and we as their kids and their family always knew they were loved! I know my mom misses my dad like crazy but she would be so worried about him right now during this Covid crisis. Love is not just one emotion but many. Heart felt emotions, worry, concern, care, romantic, lust, arguments and anger and laughter and joy. Love is all encompassing.
Now to the people that are hard to love. The ones that effect you like petting your dog backwards against the fur. The ones that try your patience and your sanity. Well they need our love too. Usually tbere is something jn their lives that makes them act the way they do. Rough relationships, lack of control in their lives and the list goes on. We all have people we come in contact with that we know their elevator doesn’t go to the top. But we are called to love anyway. Now we can love from afar if we need to, but they still need love. In the craziness in our world right now, everyone is more on edge, easy to snap and worries abound. Maybe we each dig a little deeper and find that bit of love and compassion. It isn’t easy. People will try your patience like a strong willed child. Maybe if we show patience and love like we need or want to be showed. It is hard when others can’t show love that you may need, it is hard to love those that don’t want to be loved and it is hard to love those that push all of our buttons. Love them anyway. Especially now, today, in this world of craziness let’s show some love and compassion. Find patience to grant others like we want to be granted. Let’s love on each other and lift each other up not only during this health crisis but in the good times as well. Forgive the past misunderstandings, forgive each other and yourself. Listen to how you communicate with others and watch our tones. Give reassurance when needed and learn to love that prickly person, learn to love yourself. All of this shows us life is precious and to love is a blessing. Love is patient , love is kind…let’s love them anyways❤
